2013 SAN230 Sub location and size

[super01]

Does anyone know if it is possible to put a subwoofer in the same location on a 2008 SAN as the 2013 SAN? Is that a 10" sub? See picture...

[EarmarkMarine]

Even if you can you do not want to place that particular subwoofer in that location. The Polk Audio subwoofer shown, based on its Thiele/Small parameters, is NOT a true infinite baffle driver and when used in this capacity is generally undamped and loose sounding, not to mention it creates some unwanted mechanical vibration. JL Audio makes an excellent infinite baffle woofer. If mounting in the interior fiberglass gunnel, you should have an acoustically isolated baffle. If the boat requires mounting in the surface coaming panel then it may not be sealed around the front of the bolster, which is in too close of proximity. You definitely need complete front to rear isolation for at least four feet from the woofer in any direction inorder to reproduce lower frequencies. That's a start.

David

[super01]

Thanks David. Right now I have the stock Polk in the factory enclosure under the observer seat. I plan to build a sealed enclosure for an MM1240 that fits where the cooler would go under the seat behind the driver. I'm not sure what to do with the 10", should I leave it under there and just turn power up to it so I can hear it?

[EarmarkMarine]

You are far better off with a single subwoofer, powered very well and in the most ideal location. Two subs in different locations, with different orientations, with one direct radiating and the other contained in a compartment will have different phase responses. So how they sum and at what point of perception becomes a total crap shoot. In any case, using two subs you might get a little more combined output with terrible efficiency, but the tonal construction will be indiscriminant at best.
How you manage the radiation of the 12" out of the seating compartment will have a dramatic impact on that sub's performance.
On a tangent, two identical subs side-by-side and identical in every respect, is referred to as 'compound loading' and produces fantastic results. However, towboats rarely cooperate with this scheme.


David

[perry386]

Remove the trash can and put a sub and box combo in there....you loose storage but I have a 15 inch rockford fosgate and it sounds amazing.

[rutwad]

Thanks David. Right now I have the stock Polk in the factory enclosure under the observer seat. I plan to build a sealed enclosure for an MM1240 that fits where the cooler would go under the seat behind the driver. I'm not sure what to do with the 10", should I leave it under there and just turn power up to it so I can hear it?

Could 2 subs be placed in this location firing directly into the boat?

[EarmarkMarine]

Could 2 subs be placed in this location firing directly into the boat?

Two smaller subs or a single larger sub....it's mostly about the final surface area. However, the key is to have a vent(s) where the surface area is equal to or approaching that of the collective woofers.
It is possible in some cases to sandwich airtight a single direct-radiating sub on the exterior and a sealed enclosure on the interior of the observer/passenger side console pass-through surface. That is the only direct-radiating scenario that I can envision on the port side of a contemporary Nautique.

David

[rutwad]

Two smaller subs or a single larger sub....it's mostly about the final surface area. However, the key is to have a vent(s) where the surface area is equal to or approaching that of the collective woofers.
It is possible in some cases to sandwich airtight a single direct-radiating sub on the exterior and a sealed enclosure on the interior of the observer/passenger side console pass-through surface. That is the only direct-radiating scenario that I can envision on the port side of a contemporary Nautique.

David

Starboard side seat behind the driver's seat has a removable cooler under it and only a removable grate in front of it. I think this is where he was talking about.

[rutwad]

[scottb7]

Remove the trash can and put a sub and box combo in there....you loose storage but I have a 15 inch rockford fosgate and it sounds amazing.

yep, that is where i have my 12" polk and box. I use the cooler door for when I really want to let the bass out.

[EarmarkMarine]

So the compartment floor on which the cooler rests extends below the level of the cockpit sole? If so, that's a definite bonus.
That's also a very nice built in vent.
I can see two 10"s fitting in there which is a little more surface area and output than a single 12".
Whether side-firing, up-firing, or down-firing, it's important that there is adequate distance between the high point of the surround and the surface the woofer is facing so that you do not choke or reduce the woofer's output. Figure 2.625" on a 10" and 3.125" on a 12". At that point the boundaries will only reinforce the output.

David

[rutwad]

David, you seriously need to do a stereo install for me! You know your stuff.

[super01]

Thanks guys, yes putting it under that seat is exactly what I have in mind. I think the ideal will be a 12" polk in there because of the volume available, and the spacing that David suggests in front of the box. My plan is to use a watertight connector on the speaker wire so that I can take the sub box out on those days when a cooler is important (when all the kids are on the boat, yeah they gotta have variety or they get cranky) and then I will still have that single 10" in the stock location.

I was playing around with some speaker design software last night, and you can make that 12" really work well in a ported enclosure if you can find 2 CUFT of space, but I would be surprised if that cooler area is big enough...

[EarmarkMarine]

01,
Computer software will attempt to model anything according to the gudelines you input. But that in no way guarantees that the bass-reflex alignment will actually sound good. So stay basic. A typical model of a linear and efficient 12-inch bass-reflex enclosure will be around 2.75 cu.ft. external dimensions. That's a big boy. For instance, if you are having to inordinately protract the port in order to achieve a desired tuning frequency and box size then you are far better off running a step down in woofer size for a ported enclosure or a larger woofer in a sealed box. Also, do not model the enclosure for the maximum output thereby ignoring the response curve. It may give you more peak output but produce a singular tonal quality and leave the woofer less protected below the tuning frequency.

David

[kmgs]

There is no way my wife would let me get rid of the cooler, let alone it being for additional speakers for the stereo.....lol.